Biden, the older man, dropped everything and ran to his daughter, his face etched with concern. As he reached her, he pulled her into a comforting hug, cooing softly to coax her tears away. After a while, her sobs subsided, and he gently asked what had upset her so deeply.
"Father, please take a look," she murmured, handing him an envelope.
Biden took it, his brow furrowing in thought. Please don't be one of those modern-day love letters. No, it can't be; she wouldn't dare bring it to me if it were, and I trust my child's morals. Then, is it another school levy? No! It can't be; I'm still short on money. Damn!
As he slowly opened the letter and read its contents, he almost couldn't contain his overwhelming joy. Katherine had just been awarded a full scholarship for the rest of her school years, a direct result of the school competition where she represented her institution with excellence. To top it all, the host of the competition, the prestigious Noble Empire—a name on everyone's lips recently—had decided to enroll all its benefactors into the famous Cadet College, situated within the economic state, the best in the country. Biden swelled with pride, though a pang of remorse for his daughter flickered through him. After the initial burst of happiness, he returned to his work, but not before getting Katherine something to eat.
After the day's work, they walked home together. Upon reaching their humble abode, Barbara, Katherine's mother, gave them a sharp look. "Why are you just returning now together at this hour?" she demanded.
"You'll be so happy to hear the joyful news our daughter brought home with her!" Biden beamed, motioning for Katherine to present the letter to her mother. Katherine stepped forward, about to hand over the envelope, when a stinging slap caught her across the face. The letter was snatched from her grasp. Barbara glared at the paper, reading it as Katherine's eyes welled up again.
"And so what? She was given a scholarship, so what?" Barbara sneered, her voice rising. "Is she the first to be awarded a scholarship? Is that enough reason for her not to come back immediately after school to help me out here? No, tell me!" She was about to tear the paper when Biden lunged, snatching it from her furious grip.
"How can you be so mean and cruel to your very own daughter, Barbara? Do you know which school she was admitted in? A whole Cadet college where the elites in the country hope to send their kids" he shouted, his voice laced with disbelief. "So if I had let you, you would have torn this paper that grants Katherine educational freedom and helps to lessen our burden?"
Barbara screamed back, her face contorted in anger. "She is not my daughter! We have no affinity whatsoever!" This declaration hit Katherine like a physical blow, and she burst into fresh tears.
Suddenly, an idea sparked in Barbara's mind. Her angry expression melted away, replaced by a gleeful, avaricious smile. "My husband, thank you very much for not allowing me to make such a silly mistake. You are the best! What?! It would have hurt me very much if I had torn that paper because this should be our ticket to financial freedom instead! We can just demand to be paid in cash! Do you even know how much school fees are over there? We just struck it rich!"
She continued to marvel at her own supposed ingeniousness, lost in her fantasy. Biden, knowing his wife's mercenary nature all too well, ran with the letter and swiftly hid it upstairs.
He then shouted from the upper floor, "Whether you like it or not, my daughter is going to that school, and you can't stop it!"
"So you want to play games, do you? Hand over that letter, and this marriage might still work, else—" Barbara threatened, running out of the house. Biden, understanding the implicit danger, immediately called Katherine and urged her to pack quickly. They had to leave the house immediately. In less than an hour, they had gathered what they could and fled.
Barbara returned with three burly men, ordering them to ransack every inch and corner of the house, demanding they find "everything in white paper." Meanwhile, Biden had rushed Katherine to the nearest bus stop. He helped her buy a ticket for the almost-filled bus and pressed the rest of the money he had into her hand. After making all the arrangements, he stood outside the bus beside her, cautioning her about the dangers in Cadet State and giving her instructions on her destination. Katherine kept waving at her father until she could no longer see him. Biden was heartbroken and guilt-ridden, his thoughts swirling.
Katherine, it's high time you discover your real identity so that my conscience will free me, even if I have to go to jail. No matter how a gem is hidden, it will always glow. The journey to your destiny begins from here.
Within half an hour of the bus's departure for Cadet State, Barbara arrived at the bus stop with the three men. She was so furious that she almost ordered the men to beat her husband, demanding to know where he had sent her.
Inside the bus, Katherine cried her eyes out, still wondering what she had ever done to her mother to be hated so much. Why would her mother say she wasn't her daughter?